lonely-planet-myanmar-burma-11-edition

373

TRANSPORT

AIR^

Domestic Airlines
Although only one of the
domestic airlines is owned
outright by the government
(Myanma Airways), the other
four have known or suspect-
ed links. At the very least, all
pay hefty government licence
and administration fees.
Tay Za (see boxed text,
p 26 ) owns Air Bagan; his
companies have been target-
ed directly by outside sanc-
tions. Aung Ko Win, owner of
Air Kanbawza, is believed to
be a close business associ-
ate of Vice-Senior General
Maung Aye.
We advise avoiding Myan-
ma Airways – its Fokkers are
antiques with the worst repu-
tation for upkeep.
Following is the contact in-
formation for airline offi ces in
Yangon; the regional offi ces
are listed in the respective
destination chapters.
Air Bagan (airline code
W9; %01-513 322/422; http://www.
airbagan.com; airline code AB;
56 Shwe Taung Gyar St) Has
the largest fleet with six
planes.
Air Kanbawza (airline code
KZ; %01-255 260; Sakura Tower,
339 Bogyoke Aung San Rd)
Owned by the same Kan-
bawza Bank tycoon who owns
Myanmar Airways Interna-
tional, this two-plane opera-
tion started up in April 2011.
Air Mandalay (airline code
6T; %01-525 488; http://www.airman
dalay.com; 146 Dhammazedi Rd)
A Singapore-Malaysia joint
venture with three planes.
Asian Wings (airline code
AW; %01-516 654; http://www.asian

wingsairways.com; 34 Shwe

Taung Gyar St) Rumoured to

be a subsidiary of Air Bagan,

this two-plane operation

started in January 2011.

Myanma Airways (MA;

airline code UB; %01-374 874,

01-373 828; http://www.mot.gov.mm/

ma; 104 Strand Rd) Govern-

ment airline.

Schedules

One Yangon agent told us ‘in

Myanmar, air routes change

in the air’. They’re not jok-

ing. It’s particularly true of

MA fl ights, where dates and

departure times are often

not written on your ticket, so

the airline doesn’t have to

honour the dates and times

for which reservations were

originally made. (In some

cases, if offi cials are fl ying

somewhere seats may sud-

denly open to the public.)

Schedules are more reliable

on the other airlines, and

between main destinations

such as Yangon, Mandalay,

Nyaung U and Heho, during

the high season – but it’s

essential to always double-

check departure times be-

fore leaving for the airport.

Tickets

Travel agents sell fl ight tick-

ets at a slightly discounted

rate, so it usually makes little

sense to buy directly from the

airlines. An exception to this is

if you choose to use Air Man-

dalay. In 2011 the company

began its Discover Myanmar

Pass covering the four fl ights

on the routing Yangon–Man-

dalay–Nyaung U–Heho–

Yangon. At $215 plus $28 in

taxes it’s a slight saving over

what you are likely to pay for

similar tickets from an agent.

There are plans to add Thand-

we (for Ngapali Beach) to

the pass. Reservation can be

made online via the Air Man-

dalay website with the pass

being paid for and picked up

from the company’s offi ce in

Yangon.

One-way fares are half a

return fare, and can usually

be bought a day in advance.

To buy a ticket, you’ll need to

pay with US dollars or Foreign

Exchange Certifi cates (FECs;

see p 365 ), and bring your

passport to the travel agent

or airline offi ce. It’s some-

times diffi cult to buy a ticket

that departs from a town

other than the one you are in.

There is no domestic de-

parture tax.

SAMPLE AIRFARES

The following table shows

some one-way airfare quotes

during peak season for key

routes in Myanmar – you

may fi nd them for a few dol-

lars cheaper. Fares during the

off season (roughly March

through October) are about

$4 or $5 cheaper.

ROUTE FARE ($)

Mandalay-Heho

(Inle Lake)

43

Mandalay-Nyaung

U (Bagan)

43

Nyaung U (Bagan)-

Heho (Inle Lake)

62

Thandwe-Sittwe 71

Yangon-Heho (Inle

Lake)

91

Yangon-Mandalay 97

Yangon-Nyaung U

(Bagan)

91

Yangon-Sittwe 107

Yangon-Thandwe

(Ngapali)

78

TOURS

Many foreign-run companies book package tours to

Myanmar. In most instances, more money will reach the

local people if you travel on your own or arrange a driver

and guide from a locally based agent. See p 30 for tips

on arranging your own tour with agencies in Myanmar.

Travel agents along Bangkok’s Khao San Rd off er a

host of short-term package trips to Myanmar, some of

which are geared more to midrange, locally run hotels

than top-end, joint-venture hotels.